Apparatus and method for shaping hose

ABSTRACT

A shaped hose assembly includes a length of hose having an external surface and a hose form including a non-continuous, generally curved wall that extends around the circumference of the external surface of the hose. The wall includes a first axially extending end and a second axially extending end. The hose form also includes at least one bend of predetermined radius. A method for shaping hose is also provided.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates generally to fluid conveying hose assemblies and,more particularly, to an apparatus and method for shaping hose used influid conveying hose assemblies.

2. Description of the Related Art

Flexible hose assemblies are often used in engine compartments of motorvehicles to conveying fluids, such as power steering fluid andair-conditioning refrigerants. Unfortunately, in the under-hood designprocess, routing of the flexible hose is often an afterthought—usuallydue to its known flexibility—requiring the power-steering andair-conditioning system designers to route the flexible hose aroundvarious under-hood components. Accordingly, many under-hood hoseassemblies exhibit multiple curves and bends to accommodate theplacement of various non-movable engine compartment components.

Hoses may be pre-formed into any desired shape—so-called shaped hose—bycuring green hose on a shaping mandrel. In one known hose shapingprocess, green (uncured) hose is manufactured in relatively longlengths, cut to size, manually placed onto a shaping mandrel, cured onthe shaping mandrel, and then manually removed from the mandrel for use.Once removed, the cured hose retains the general shape of the shapingmandrel. Unfortunately, shaping hose using known processes iscost-intensive—particularly when compared to manufacturing non-shapedhose that is typically cured in the same bulk form it is manufactured.

Clearly, there is a need for an improved way of imparting the desiredshape in a length of hose without subjecting the hose to known “shapedhose” manufacturing processes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A shaped hose assembly is provided that includes a length of hose havingan external surface and a hose form. In an embodiment, the hose formincludes a non-continuous, generally curved wall that extends around thecircumference of the external surface of the hose. The wall includes afirst axially extending end and a second axially extending end. The hoseform also includes at least one bend of predetermined radius. A methodfor shaping hose is also provided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the invention will now be described, by way of example,with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hose assembly according to anembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the hose assembly shown in FIG. 1taken along lines 2-2;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a hose form used in the hose assembly ofFIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a hose assembly according to anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a hose form used in the hose assembly ofFIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a hose assembly according to anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the hose assembly shown in FIG. 1taken along lines 7-7;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a hose assembly according to anotherembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a detailed view, in partial cross-section, of the hoseassembly shown FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a hose assembly according to anotherembodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a detailed view, in partial cross-section, of the hoseassembly shown in FIG. 10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a shaped hose assembly 20 according to anembodiment of the present invention is shown. In the illustratedembodiment, hose assembly 20 includes a length of hose 22 having anexternal surface 24 and a hose form 26 positioned over at least aportion of external surface 24. The term “hose” includes, withoutlimitation, generally flexible fluid conveying members, such as theflexible rubber hoses used to conveying power steering fluid andair-conditioning refrigerants in the automotive under-hood environment.Hose assembly 20 is shown in FIG. 1 as having an axis A-A that extendsthrough the center of hose assembly 20.

As shown in FIG. 2, hose form 24 includes a non-continuous, generallycurved wall 28 that extends around at least a portion of thecircumference of external surface 24. When installed on hose 22, aninternal surface 30 of hose form 26 may uniformly contact hose 22, asshown in FIG. 2, or may contact hose 22 in any number of locations toimpart the desired shape in hose 22.

In an embodiment (shown in FIG. 2), wall 28 extends greater thanhalf-way around the circumference of external surface 24 of hose 22 andincludes a first axially extending end 32 and a second axially extendingend 34 having a gap G therebetween. As shown in the embodiment of FIG.2, gap G between the first and second ends 32, 34 is slightly smallerthan the diameter D of external surface 24 of hose 22. In thisconfiguration, wall 28 extends sufficiently far around the circumferenceof external surface 24 to retain hose form 26 on hose 22; however, notso far as to preclude hose form 26 from being assembled onto hose 22 inthe radial direction.

The extent to which wall 28 extends around hose 22 may be dependent on anumber of factors, including the flexibility of hose 22, the ability ofexternal surface 24 to deform, the flexibility of hose form 26, and thedesired method for assembling hose form 26 and hose 22 into hoseassembly 20. With regard to the latter factor, hose assembly 20 may beassembled along the axial direction by sliding hose 22 into hose form 26(or alternatively sliding hose form 26 over hose 22), or by radiallyassembling hose 22 into hose form 26 (or alternatively radiallyassembling hose form 26 onto hose 22), such as by radially snapping hose22 into hose for 26. The term “snapping” is used without limitation todescribe the manner in which hose 22 is deformed and hose form 26 isflexed as hose 22 is pushed radially into hose form 26.

To impart the desired shape in hose 22, hose form 26 includes at leastone bend of predetermined radius R. For example, in the embodiment shownin FIGS. 1-3, hose form 26 includes a single bend having a radius R₁.Hose form 26 is installed on hose 22 such that first end 32 ispositioned proximate an outer edge of the bend and second end 34 ispositioned proximate an inner edge of the bend. However, the location ofends 32, 34 is not limited to the location shown in FIGS. 1-3. Forexample, hose form 26 may be installed on hose 22 such that ends 32, 34are between the inner and outer edge of the bend with gap facinggenerally upward or downward.

Referring still to FIGS. 1-3, hose form 26 may be made by roll-forming apiece of relatively flat metal, such as aluminum, into the generally “C”shaped, curved structure shown in FIG. 2. Prior to imparting a bend(s)in hose form 26, hose form 26 may be installed onto hose 22 (or hose 22inserted into hose form 26). Alternatively, hose form 26 may be bent tothe desired shape prior to assembling hose assembly 20. In either case,the desired bend(s) may be imparted in hose form 26 using a common tubebender or other device known in the art for bending deformablematerials.

As an alternative method of manufacture, hose form 26 may be cast ormolded using any number of materials, including without limitationmetals and polymers. For example, hose form 26 may be cast into therequired shape, including the desired bend(s), using a metal such asaluminum. In another example, hose form 26 may be injection molded froma suitable plastic such as polypropylene.

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, a hose assembly 120 according to anotherembodiment of the present invention is shown. Hose assembly 120 includesa length of hose 122 and a hose form 126 substantially similar to hoseform 26 described above with at least one exception, namely, hose form126 includes a first bend defined by a first radius R₁ and a second benddefined by a second radius R₂. As also shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the bendsprovided in hose form 26 may be created along different planes,resulting in a hose form 26 that exhibits a slight twist in its shapeand/or bends in two or more different directions.

Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7, a hose assembly 220 according to anotherembodiment of the present invention is shown. Hose assembly 220 includesa length of hose 222 having an exterior surface 224 and a hose form 226.Like hose form 26 described above, hose form 226 includes anon-continuous, generally curved wall 228 that extends around at least aportion of the circumference of external surface 224. However, unlikehose form 226 described above, wall 228 need not extend greater thanhalf-way around the circumference of hose 222 to retain hose form 226 onhose 222. Instead, hose form 226 may include at least one retainer 229positioned proximate at least one end of hose form 226 for grasping hose222. Retainer 229 may be integral to hose form 226 (as shown in FIG. 6)or may be separate and attached to hose 222 and hose form 226 (notshown). Retainer 226 functions to hold a portion of hose 222 within hoseform 226 to achieve the desired shape of hose 222.

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9, a hose assembly 320 according to anotherembodiment of the present invention is shown. In the disclosedembodiment, hose assembly includes a length of hose 322 having anexternal surface 324 and at least one hose form 326. In a particularconfiguration shown in FIG. 8, hose assembly includes a plurality ofhose forms 326, each of which are positioned at a corresponding bend inhose 322. Hose form 326 may be substantially similar to hose form 26described above with respect to FIGS. 1-3, hose form 126 described abovewith respect to FIGS. 4 and 5, or hose form 226 described above withrespect to FIGS. 6 and 7.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 9, hose form 326 may also include alength of deformable tubing, such as aluminum tubing, having an internaldiameter that is at least slightly larger than external surface 324 ofhose 322 and a length that is longer than the length of the desiredbend. In this configuration, each hose form 326 may be formed by slidingeach piece of deformable tubing over hose 322 and positioning the tubingproximate the location of the desired bend. The hose and tubingcombination may then be placed in a tube bender, or other device knownin the art for bending deformable materials, and bent into the desiredshape. Once bent, each hose form 326 is held in place by the bend itselfand the relatively close dimension between the internal diameter of hoseform 326 and the diameter of external surface 324. As shown in FIG. 8,one hose form 326 may be used for each bend in hose 322 or,alternatively, one hose form 326 may be used for more than one bend (notshown).

Another embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 9 and 10,which includes hose 322 and at least one hose form 326′. The illustratedembodiment is substantially similar to the embodiment shown in FIGS. 8and 9 with at least one exception, namely, hose form 326′ is positionedwithin an internal bore 323 of hose 322, instead of over externalsurface 324. Each hose form 326′ may be formed by sliding a piece ofdeformable tubing within hose bore 323 and positioning the tubingproximate the location of the desired bend. The hose and tubingcombination may then be placed in a tube bender, or other device knownin the art for bending deformable materials, and bent into the desiredshape. Once bent, each hose form 326′ is held in place by the benditself and the close dimension between the external diameter of hoseform 326′ and the diameter of internal bore 323. As shown in FIG. 10,one hose form 326′ may be used for each bend in hose 322 or,alternatively, one hose form 326′ may be used for more than one bend(not shown).

As will be appreciated, the present invention allows a length of hose tobe “shaped” without employing traditional and costly hose shapingprocesses, such as manufacturing green hose in relatively long lengths,cutting the green hose to size, manually placing the cut green hose ontoshaping mandrel, curing the green hose on the mandrel, and then manuallyremoving the shaped hose from the mandrel for use. In contrast, thepresent invention allows hose to be made in more traditional and costeffective bulk manufacturing methods and then “shaped” using the hoseforms described above.

The present invention has been particularly shown and described withreference to the foregoing embodiments, which are merely illustrative ofthe best modes for carrying out the invention. It should be understoodby those skilled in the art that various alternatives to the embodimentsof the invention described herein may be employed in practicing theinvention without departing from the spirit and scope of the inventionas defined in the following claims. It is intended that the followingclaims define the scope of the invention and that the method andapparatus within the scope of these claims and their equivalents becovered thereby. This description of the invention should be understoodto include all novel and non-obvious combinations of elements describedherein, and claims may be presented in this or a later application toany novel and non-obvious combination of these elements. Moreover, theforegoing embodiments are illustrative, and no single feature or elementis essential to all possible combinations that may be claimed in this ora later application.

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A shaped hose assembly, comprising: a length ofhose having an external surface; and a hose form including anon-continuous, generally curved wall that extends around thecircumference of the external surface of the hose, the wall including afirst axially extending end and a second axially extending end, the hoseform also including at least one bend of predetermined radius, whereinsaid first axially extending end extends in a generally continuousradial orientation relative to the axis of the hose assembly along anaxial length of said hose form, wherein a gap between the first andsecond axially extending ends is slightly less than a diameter of theexternal surface of the hose, wherein the gap is generally constantalong the axial length of the hose form, and wherein the hose formincludes at least two bends each being of a predetermined dimension. 22.The assembly of claim 21, wherein the generally curved, non-continuouswall extends greater than half-way around the circumference of theexternal surface of the hose.
 23. The assembly of claim 21, wherein thefirst axially extending end is positioned proximate an outer edge of thebend and the second axially extending end is positioned proximate aninner edge of the bend.
 24. The assembly of claim 21, wherein saidcurved wall extends in a generally continuous radial orientationrelative to the axis of the hose assembly along the axial length of saidhose form.
 25. The assembly of claim 21, wherein said first axiallyextending end extends along the entire axial length of said hose form.26. The assembly of claim 21, wherein the predetermined dimension ofeach of said bends is distinct from the other of said bends.
 27. Theassembly of claim 26, wherein the predetermined dimension is a radius.28. A method for shaping hose, comprising: providing a predeterminedlength of hose and a predetermined length of tubing having an externaldiameter smaller than an internal diameter of the hose; placing thetubing within the hose at a desired location; and bending the tubing toimpart the desired shape in the hose.
 29. The method of claim 28,wherein the providing step is further defined by providing a length oftubing having an external diameter that is slightly smaller than theinternal diameter of the hose.
 30. The method of claim 28, wherein theproviding step is further defined by providing a length of tubing thatis longer than the length of the desired bend.
 31. The method of claim28, wherein the providing step is further defined by providing tubing ofsufficient length to cover at least two bends in the hose.